Registering mechanism for printing cylinders



De c. 5,

7 w. F. HUCK REGISTERING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING CYLINDERS Filed Sept. 10, 1937 s Sheets-Sheet 1 'INVENT OR WilljamE'HwK.

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REGISTERING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING CYLINDERS Dec. 5, 1939.'

Filed Sept. 0, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR I Willzam FHuc/r Dec. 5, 1939. w. F. HUCK 2,181,895

REGISTERING MECRANISM FOR PRINTING CYLINDERS Filed Sept. 10, 193 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN.VENTOR William Z'Huelr.

A TTORNEY Patented Dec. 5, 1939 PATENT (OFFICE REGISTERING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING CYLINDERS William F. Huck, Richmond Hill N. Y., assignor to R. Hoe & 00., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 10, 1937, Serial No. 163,166 18 Claims. (c1. 1o1-24s) This invention relates to registering mechanism for the cylinders of printing machines, and is particularly adapted forv use with that type of printing machine wherein .several impressions are made in sequence,' as for instance, a multicolorprinting machine. More particularly, the invention relates to a mechanism for rotatively and axially adjusting a form cylinder to accurately register the printing, and which is operable to make such adjustments while the machine is in operation.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved registering mechanism for a printing machine operating upon a web, and. which is adapted to rotatively and axially adjust a cylinder to compensate for irregularities in the register of the impressions- Another object is to provide in a machine of the above nature a mechanism adapted to axially adjust'a cylinder, in operable combination with a mechanism to rotatively adjust a cylinder, whereby one will not interfere with the adjustment made by the other and either or both may be actuated while the machine is in operation.

It is also an object of this invention toprovide registering mechanism for machines operating upon a web, or webs, of generally improved construction, that will be simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient,

I practical, serviceable and eificient in its use.

With the foregoing'and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of'parts, and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed. v

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

4 .wherein:

of Figure 2; 1 I I a v Figure 5 is adetail view of a portion of the Figure 6 is a vertical section mechanism as seen in the direction of arrow 5 of Figure 4'; Y v

Figure 5A is a detail view of a' modification of the mechanism of Figure 5; i

through the axial registeringmechanism; and a Figure '1 is an end view of the axial registering mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference numeral ll indicates a form cylinder of a printing or other machine adapted to operate upon a web and which during such operation may require axial as well as rotatlye adjustment relatively to the web and to a cooperating cylinder not shown, to register printed impressions being imposed upon the web The cylinder II is journaled in spaced apart machine frames I2 and i3, upon which therotative adjusting mechanism and the axial adjusting mechanism are respectively mounted. The cylinder II has shaft extensions l4 and. l 5 oppositely directed from its ends which may be journaled in roller bearings l0 (Figure 2) and 62 (Figure 6) respectively. I

A helical adjustable gear composed of two sections IB and I1, and having backlash eliminating means incorporated therein, is drivingly connected to the shaft extension I 4 in a manner to be hereinafter described and this gear may be of the shaft I4 by screws 20'. The hub member I9 is provided with oppositely'directed radial arms 22 and 23 (Figures 2 and 4) having a plate 24 secured to the peripheral face of each by screws 25. The gear sections l6 and I! are held together by a plurality of screws 26. The gear section I! is recessed in its face opposing the section i6 as at 21 and plates 28 are secured upon .the inner surface of an annular wall 29 formed by the recess 21. The arms 22 and 23 are extended into the recess 21 to dispose the plates 24 of the wall 29. The plates 28 are circumferentially spaced from the plates 24, each plate 24 having an inclined edge 3| opposing an inclined edge 32 on the respective plate 28. A plate 33 secured on each of an opposing pair of radial arms 34 of a spider frame 35, is disposed between each pair thereon into close proximity with the inner face of plates 24 and 28. The plate 33 has an inclined edge 36 in abutment with the inclined edge 3| of the plate 24 and an inclined edge 3! in abutment with the inclined edge 32 on the plate 28.

To insure that the gear l6, i1 is securely drivingly connected by the plates 24, 28 and 33, a

' pair of springs 38 and 39 are provided, each ofhich reacts between apost "provided on the 2 gear section l1 and a shoulder 4| provided, on each of the arms 22 and 23 of the hub member l9. The springs 38 and 39 constantly urge the gear section l1 rotatively with respect to the hub member l9 so that the plate 33 will be clampingly engaged by and between the plates 24 and '29. From the above construction, it will be obvious that movement of the plate 33 axially with respect to the shaft i4 will rotate the gear |6, |1 relatively to the shaft |4,.the direction of rotation being dependent upon the direction of such axial movement, whereby the cylinder may be rotatively adjusted with respect to -a cooperating cylinder to register therewith. I

The arms.34 of the spider frame 35 extend through openings provided in the end face of the gear section l6 from a hub 42 which is suitably journaled as by a ball bearing 43 to a stud shaft 44. The stud shaft 44 is supported by a bracket 45 secured to a bracket 46 by bolts 41 and the bracket 46 is connected to a sleeve 490. which slides in frame l2, by bolts 48. The shaft 44 is secured against rotation in the bracket 45 by a key 59. The outer end of the stud shaft 44 is threaded as at 49 and a manually operable nut 5| may be provided and internally threaded as at 52 to cooperate with the threaded shaft end 49 to move the spider frame axially in either direction as desired, whereby through the arms 34 the plate 33 will be moved axially with respect to the shaft l4 to rotatively adjust the gear |6, |1 relatively to the hub member l9 and cylinder desired to manipulate the spider frame 35 from a remote position, a gear 53 may be substituted for the nut 5| which gear may be arranged to be rotated in either direction by a motor, not shown, in a well known manner under control of an operator remotely stationed, as for instance, at the delivery end of the machine. I

In order to prevent possible distortion or twisting of the arms 34 of the spider frame 35, arcuately formed shelves 54 are provided extending from the gear section l6. The shelves 54 extend outwardly from the outer face of the gear section i6 in radial alignment with each of the arms 34 of the spider frame 35, the arms 34 being each provided with an arcuately formed boss 55 adapted to slidingly rest upon the respective shelf 54. Herein the spider frame 35 is shown provided with four arms. Two of these arms 34 which are diametrically opposite, enter the gear section l6 and have the plates 33 secured thereto. The other diametrically opposed arms 34 do not enter the gear section i6 and are not provided with plates 33, but all of them engage shelves 54 whereby the frame 35 is rigidly maintained concentric with the cylinder The inclined surfaces 3| and 36 are arranged so that the tendency is to constantly urge the plate 33 axially away from the bracket 45 and toward the cylinder under action of the springs 38, 39.

The axial adjusting mechanism, (see Figures 6 and '1) is associated with the shaft extension l5 and includes a sleeve 6| slidably supported in the frame I3, and which holds the roller bearing 62, in

- which the shaft I5 is journaled and a bracket 63 which is secured to the sleeve 6| by screws 64, and secured to and journaled on a stud shaft 65 by ball thrust bearings 66 and 61. The shaft 65 is provided with a threaded end 68 and is supported by a bracket 69 secured to the frame l3 by screws The shaft is secured to the bracket 69 against rotation by a key 12. A manually operative nut 13 isgrovided with internal threads 14 adapted to When his cooperate with the threaded end of the shaft 66 to move the same and with it the cylinder axially, to adjust the cylinder into correct axial register with a cooperating cylinder of themachine'. As in the previously described rotative registering mechanism, a gear 19 may be substituted for the nut 13 to be driven by a motor, not shown, which may be controlled from a' remote station to cause including the composite gear l6, l1, and the geariii are preferably provided with helically cut teeth to insure more eflicient and smooth operation. In such instancesjvhen the cylinder II is moved axially, it also moves rotatively due to the cooperating screw-like action between the meshed teeth on the gear l6, i1an'd gear l8, hence rotative readjustment is required. Such a disadvanq tageous result is prevented in the combined mechanisms of this invention .by the use of the inclined cooperating edges 3|, 36 and 32, 31 of the plates 24, 28 and 33 respectively, and the determined angle of inclination of these edges.

In order to avoid any rotative movement of the cylinder when it is moved axially, the sum of the angles of the inclined edges 3|, 32, 36 and 31 is substantially equal to the angle of the helical teeth on gear l6, l1 and the direction of the rotative movement induced by these edges is reverse to that caused by the gear teeth. This arrangement is indicated in the drawings wherein the dotted line shown in Figure 1 represents the coop-' erating inclined edges 3|, 36 and 32,31 and the full lines indicate the angle and direction thereof of the teeth of the gear l6, I1. Figure 5 also illustrates this arrangement by dotted lines represent- I ing a tooth of the gear l6, l1 and the full lines the inclined edges 3| 32, 36 and 31. By this arrangement, any rotative movement induced by the axial movement of the cylinder is compensated for by the cooperating inclined edges and no rotative readjustment isrequired whenever the cylinder is axially adjusted, as is usually the case when other axially adjusting devices are used in connection with helical gears. Referring to Figure 5A, it will be obvious that the same effect would be produced if the angle of the cooperating inclined edges 85 and 81, shown therein in place ofthe inclined edges 3| and 36, depicted in Figure 5, was made are provided on each of the adjusting mechanisms. The device for indicating the position .of the cylinder rotatively, consists of a disk 16 (Figure 2) secured to the nut 5|, by any convenient means and suitably calibrated. A cooperating index member 19 is secured tothe bracket 45. A similarly calibrated disk 6| (Figure 6) is secured to the nut 13 and a similar index member 62 is secured to the bracket 69, and it will be under- 75 stood that thesemembers serve to indicate the position of the cylinder H in respect to its axial adjustment in the frame. l

The above described combined rotative and axially registering mechanism provides a simple and inexpensive means for registering the form cylinder of a printing machine whereby the printed matter may be conveniently and accurately maintained inregister and whereby the printed matter may be brought into register while the machine is in operation. By means of this mechanism, a cylinder may be axially adjusted without interfering with the rotative adjustment and vice versa due to the provision of the above described compensating arrangement. By the spring means described and illustrated, backlash is effectually eliminated when making either axial or rotative adjustments.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing .from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and it will be further understood that each and every novel feature and combination present in or possessed by the mechanism herein disclosed forms a part of the invention included in this application.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine having a cylinder mounted for rotation, a driving gear, a driven gear supported with'the cylinder and meshing with the driving gear, and means operably interposed between the driven gear and cylinder to bias the driven gear I means for said cylinder including meshed first and second helical gears, mechanism to axially adjust said cylinder and first helical gear relatively to the second helical gear, andmeans operatively interposed between said cylinder and said first helical gear to rotatively urge said cylinder equally and oppositely to any rotation thereof induced when the cylinder and first helical gear are axially adjusted relatively tdsaidsecond gear.

3. In a machine'having a cylinder mounted for axially sliding and rotating movements, driving means for said cylinder including a pair of meshed helical gears, mechanism to axially adjust said cylinder and a first one of the gears relatively to a second one of said gears, mechanism to rotatively adjust said cylinder relatively to "the first gear including connecting members operably interposed between said cylinder and the first gear,

said connecting members being operable to rotatively urge said cylinder equally and oppositely to any rotation thereof induced when the cylinder and first gear are adjusted by said axially adjusted mechanism.

4. In a machine having a cylinder mounted for adjustment by axially sliding and rotating move-,

. ments, a first helical gear adjustably secured to said cylinder with its axis in alignment therewith, a second helical gear in mesh with the first gear and being fixed against axial movement, coopertive movement induced by axially adjusting said cylinder and first gear.

5. In a machine having a cylinder mounted for adjustment by axially sliding and rotating movements, a gearmounted with its axis in alignment with said cylinder, cooperating members operably interposed between said cylinder and said gear to drivingly connect the same including a member on said gear, and a member operatively connected to said cylinder, said members having cooperating inclined edges.

6. In a machine having a rotatable cylinder, a gear mounted with its axis in alignment with said cylinder and having helical teeth, cooperating members operably interposed between said cylinder and said gear to drivingly connect the same including cooperating members having abutting inclined edges the total angle of inclination of which is substantially the same as the angle of inclination of the teeth on said gear.

7. In a machine'having a rotatable cylinder,

driving means for said cylinder including a gear mounted to rotate relatively to said cylinder, and a driving connection between said cylinder and said gear including a first plate operatively connected to said cylinder, a second plateconneted .to' said gear, and an axially slidable third plate having an inclined edge abutting and cooperating with ari inclined edge on one of the other plates whereby axial movement of said third plate will relatively rotate said gear and said cylinder.

8. In a machine having a rotatable cylinder, a shaft extending from said cylinder, a hub member on and secured to said shaft, a gear rotatably mounted on said hub member, a first member on said hub member, a second member on said gear,

an axially slidable third member disposed be-.

tween said first and second members in abutment with each and having an inclined surface cooperating with an inclined surface formed on one of the other members, and a spring reacting be- -tween said gear and said hub member to maintain said first and second members in engagement with said third member. 9. In a machine having a rotatable cylinder,

a shaft extending from said cylinder, a hub member on and secured to said shaft, a gear rotatably mounted on said hub member, a first member on said hub member, a second member on said gear, an axially slidable thirdmember disposed between said first and second members in abutment with each and having an inclined surface cooperating with an inclined surface formed on one of the other members, a spring reacting between said gear and said hub member to maintain said first and second members in engagement with said third member and means to slide said third member axially with respect to said gear to rotate the gear relatively to said cylinder.

' 10. In a machine having a. rotatable cylinder, a gear for driving said cylinder, and means to rotatively adjust said gear relatively to said cylinder including a part operatively connected to said cylinder, a part operatively connected to said gear, one'of said parts having an inclined'surface, and an axially slidable member having an inclined surface cooperating with the inclined surface on said part, disposed between said parts. 11. In a machine having a rotatable cylinder, a helical gear for driving 'said cylinder, and means to rotatively adjust said gearrelatively to said cylinder including a part operatively connected to said cylinder, a part operatively connected to said gear, one of said parts having an inclined surface, and an axially slidable member inclined surface on said part, disposed between said parts, said inclined surfaces being inclined reversely to the inclination of the helical teeth 01 said gear.

12. In a machine having a rotatable cylinder, an axially fixed first helical driving gear, a sec- 'ond helical gear in mesh with said first helical gear, a first means to axially move said-cylinder and second gear, and .a second means adapted to be moved axially to angularly adjust said cylinder and said second gear relatively to each other, said second means being adapted, when held against axial movement, to cause relative angular movement of predetermined amplitude between said cylinder and said second gear when they are moved axially to maintain the said gear angularly stationary.

13. In a machine having a rotatable cylinder, a helical gear for driving said cylinder, and means to rotatively adjustsaid "gear relatively to said cylinder including a part operatively connected to said cylinder, a part operatively connected to said gear, both of said parts having an inclined surface, and an axially slidable member disposed between said parts and havingan inclined surface at each end cooperating with the inclined surfaces on the parts adjacent each end, the

sum of the angles of said surfaces being substantially equal to the helical angle of the teeth of said gear. a

14. In a printing machine, a rotatable member movable axially, a helical gear held on the member and prevented' from axial motion with respect thereto, a helical driving gear in mesh with the gear on the member and held against axial motion, and means to rotate the first mentioned gear with respect to the member while the machine is running.

15. In a printing machine, a rotatable membermovable axially, a helical gear held on the member and prevented from axial motion with are moved axially relative to said helical driv-f ing gear, the amplitude of the said rotative movement of the rotatable-member relative to the first mentioned gear being equal and opposed to the rotative movement that would be imparted to the rotatable member by the axial movement ber and prevented from axial motion with respect thereto, a helical driving gear in mesh with the "gear on the member and held against axial motion, and means to rotate the member with respect to the first mentioned gear while the member is axially stationary.

1'7. In a printing machine having a form cylinder mounted for adjustment axially and rotatively, a gear mounted in axial alignment with said cylinder and held against axial movement with respect thereto, and driving means connecting said cylinder and said gear, including adjustable means adapted to rotate the gear in one direction with. respect to the cylinder and resilient means tending to rotate the gear in the oppositedirection, to prevent backlash in the driving means.

18. In a printing machine having a form cylinder rotatably supported in a bearing and adadapted to rotate the gear in one direction with respect to the cylinder, first resilient means connected to the cylinder and the gear and tending to rotate the gear in the opposite direction, other adjustable means adapted to move the bearingand thereby the cylinder axially in one direction,

and second resilient means tendingto move the bearing and thereby the cylinder opposite direction; said first and said second resilient means acting to prevent backlash of the cylinder axially and rotatively.

in the 

